Innovation Lead - Electrical & Automation

damen; Vlissingen; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

8% holiday pay

27 holidays

13 ADV days

Travel allowance

Pension plan

Profit sharing

Work from home up to 2 days/week

Bicycle plan

Company fitness

Job summary

Damen Naval is seeking an Innovation Lead Marine & Electric to drive technological innovation and product development in the naval domain. You will develop and execute roadmaps for marine and electrical engineering, collaborating with technical specialists to integrate new solutions into naval products and operations.

The role combines strategic vision with hands-on expertise, requires an advanced technical degree with extensive experience, and offers a competitive package, international travel

Qualifications

• Master or Bachelor degree with extensive naval engineering experience.
• 10–15 years of relevant experience in naval engineering, research, development and innovation.
• Strong knowledge of naval and electrical engineering regulations and standards.
• Experience with marine and electrical R&D software tools.
• Excellent planning, organizational and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluent in English; Dutch is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and drive innovation roadmaps for marine and electrical engineering.
• Monitor emerging technologies and assess their impact on naval products.
• Collaborate with internal specialists to drive innovation and knowledge sharing.
• Provide hands-on technical guidance in product development and innovation projects.
• Lead R&D activities, including prototyping, testing, and validation.
• Ensure compliance with naval regulations and environmental requirements.
• Manage innovation programs from concept to execution, including risk and resources.

Skills

Naval engineering

R&D management

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder management

Strategic innovation

Analytical skills

English proficiency

Willing to travel

Education

Master's degree in a relevant technical field

Bachelor's degree in a relevant technical field

Tools

Naval R&D software tools

Job description

We offer you an Ocean of Possibilities . Join our family.

About us

Hop aboard Damen Naval; the naval division of the family-owned Damen Shipyards Group, where 12,000 professionals work worldwide. Damen Naval delivers advanced naval vessels to clients all over the globe. By implementing the most innovative technological developments in practice, we continue to push the boundaries of the shipbuilding industry. You can be part of our team! Are you ready for duty?

The role

As Innovation Lead Marine & Electric at Damen Naval, you will play a key role in driving technological innovation and product development within the naval domain. You will be responsible for developing and executing innovation roadmaps focused on marine and electrical engineering technologies, ensuring Damen Naval remains at the forefront of innovation within the naval industry.

In this role, you will combine strategic vision with hands-on technical expertise, collaborating closely with technical specialists across the organization to identify, develop, and integrate innovative solutions into naval products and operations. You will lead research and development initiatives, support the adoption of emerging technologies, and contribute to building a strong culture of innovation across Damen Naval.

Key accountabilities

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

• Develop and drive innovation roadmaps for the marine and electrical engineering domain, including defining objectives, priorities, and timelines.
• Monitor emerging technologies and industry trends within marine and electrical engineering and assess their potential impact on naval products and operations.
• Collaborate with internal technical specialists and cross-functional teams to stimulate innovation, knowledge sharing, and technology integration.
• Provide hands‑on technical expertise and guidance within product development and innovation projects.
• Lead and oversee research and development activities, including prototype development, testing, and validation of innovative solutions.
• Support the implementation and integration of new technologies, ensuring compliance with applicable naval regulations, safety standards, and environmental requirements.
• Manage innovation initiatives from concept to execution, including risk management, resource coordination, timeline monitoring, and performance evaluation.

Skills & experience

We are looking for candidates with the following qualifications:

• Master degree in a relevant technical discipline with at least 10-12 years of relevant experience, or a Bachelor degree with at least 12-15 years of relevant experience.
• Proven experience within the naval engineering domain, specifically related to research, development, and innovation.
• Extensive knowledge of naval and electrical engineering regulations, standards, and compliance requirements.
• Experience working with dedicated marine and electrical engineering research and development software tools.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills combined with a proactive and innovative mindset.
• Excellent planning, organizational, and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Good command of the English language, written and verbal. Dutch is considered an advantage.
• Willingness to travel internationally and work abroad when required.

What we offer

At Damen Naval, we highly value our employees, and we will support your professional and personal development. We also provide our employees with:

• A competitive salary and 8% holiday pay.
• 27 holidays and 13 ADV days.
• Travel allowance of 23 cents per kilometre.
• PME-pension arrangement with an employer contribution of 60%.
• Profit sharing based on company results.
• Flexibility to work from home up to two days a week.
• Additional benefits including a bicycle plan and company fitness.

A pre‑employment and security screening and investigation form part of the recruitment process.